"An unpublished draft report seen by the News & Star, handed to Government ministers on December 10, featured a map which did not include the Liverpool base. It listed just five bases and not the seven needed to carry out a viable consultation on the plans."

There are 18 co-ordination centres at present which provide 24/7 coverage; there's also a centre in London; the map shows the isolated local pairs. The plan is to have 24/7 national coverage from Maritime Operations Centres in Aberdeen and in the vicinity of Southampton as well as from a sub-centre in Dover. Other sub-centres would operate only at times of peak demand. The three preferred sub-centres are Falmouth, Swansea and Humber. The other two would be Belfast or Liverpool and Stornoway or Shetland. [Liverpool and Stornoway allegedly were not in the original draft]

"Bill McFadyen, the MCA's regional director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, admitted at the [Bangor] meeting that he was not handed a copy of the proposals until after they had been finalised."

North Wales Daily Post: "Public anger was exacerbated when it emerged parts of the risk assessment of the plans were only written after the consultation began, after MPs raised concerns.

And there was fury when a major Commons debate on the cuts due to be held yesterday was postponed until March 24 [since extended to May 5], the day the consultation was due to close."

The protest march will start at Brixham's South Quay at 2pm and march to the coastguard station at King's Quay to make a stand against axing the rescue co-ordination centre with the loss of 24 jobs.

Cllr Ellery said: "This fight is not about jobs, it's not about Brixham, it's not even about fundraising — it's about lives, our lives, the people of South Devon and Torbay who work on, live with and enjoy the coast and the sea."